Take the Blood Count Quiz

The last time you visited your health care provider for an illness, he or she might have ordered a CBC test to help determine the diagnosis. CBC stands for complete blood count, but what does that mean? And what do all those numbers on the result sheet mean? Find out by taking this quiz, based on information from the National Institutes of Health.

1. Which blood cells and blood elements are included in a CBC test?

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Each type of blood cell or element--platelets are fragments of blood cells--plays an important role in the functioning of your body, so all three types are analyzed in a CBC test. Besides these three types of cells, blood is also made up of plasma, a clear yellow liquid filled with proteins, nutrients, and other substances. Blood cells make up about 45 percent of your blood; plasma, the rest.

White blood cells come in several varieties, but they all travel around the body via the bloodstream to sites of infection. They help destroy invading bacteria or viruses. White blood cells are measured in thousands per cubic milliliter of blood (K/mm3). Normally, there are fewer white blood cells than red. A normal range of white blood cells may vary slightly from lab to lab, but is roughly 4.0 to 10.0 K/mm3.

A. Carry oxygen from the lungsB. Carry waste products from the cellsC. Fight infectionD. Help stop bleeding by forming clotsE. All of the above

3. What do red blood cells do?

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Red blood cells are red in color because they contain iron. The iron is in the hemoglobin, a substance that makes it possible for these cells to carry oxygen (and carbon dioxide, a waste product). Red blood cells are measured in millions per cubic milliliter of blood (m/mm3). Although the number of red blood cells varies with the altitude at which a person lives, generally, a normal range of red blood cells is 3.58 to 4.99 m/mm3. Hemoglobin is measured in grams per deciliter of blood (g/dl). Although the hemoglobin range varies with the altitude at which a person lives, generally, a normal hemoglobin range is 11.1 to 15.0 g/dl.

A. Carry oxygen from the lungsB. Carry carbon dioxide, a waste product, from the cellsC. Fight infectionD. Help stop bleeding by forming clotsE. All of the aboveF. A and B

4. What do platelets do?

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Platelets are the smallest of the blood elements. They are measured in thousands per cubic milliliter (K/mm3). A normal platelet count is about 150 to 450 K/mm3.

A. Carry oxygen from the lungsB. Carry waste products from the cellsC. Fight infectionD. Help stop bleeding by initiating clotsE. All of the above

5. What is hematocrit?

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This means how much of the blood is red blood cells. Although hematocrit varies with the altitude at which a person lives, generally speaking, a normal hematocrit value for women is 36 to 44 percent; for men, it is 41 to 50 percent. The values may be higher for a person living at a high altitude because of the reduced level of oxygen in the atmosphere there.

Neutrophils are the most common white blood cell in the body, making up approximately 56 percent of the white cells in the blood. Their job is to destroy invading bacteria and viruses. On a CBC results sheet, "polys" refers to mature neutrophils and "bands" refers to young neutrophils. Both of these cells are able to fight infection. The CBC also measures absolute neutrophil count (ANC), also known as absolute granulocyte count (AGC), which is the number of disease-fighting white blood cells.

A. Immature red blood cellsB. A type of white blood cellC. A type of plateletD. A type of bacteria

7. What is severe neutropenia?

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Neutrophils are the first line of defense to fight infections. A normal neutrophil count ranges from 2,500 to 6,000. If your ANC drops to less than 500, you are at serious risk for infection, and this condition is called severe neutropenia. Moderate neutropenia is an ANC between 500 and 1,000, and mild neutropenia is defined as an ANC between 1,000 and 1,500. The risk of infection begins to increase with moderate neutropenia. If you have neutropenia, you need to closely monitor your health and call your health care provider at the first sign of illness. Symptoms to watch for include fever, chills, excessive sweating, and frequent urination.

A. An absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of less than 500B. An ANC of less than 1,000C. An ANC of less than 50D. An ANC of less than 25

8. Which is a symptom of not having enough red blood cells or hemoglobin (a condition called anemia)?

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Besides fatigue, other symptoms of anemia include dizziness, shortness of breath, a pounding in the head, pale skin and gums, and a ringing in the ears.

A. ItchingB. NauseaC. FeverD. Fatigue

9. What is the name of the condition that results when a person does not have enough platelets?

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Symptoms of this condition include frequent bruising, tiny red or purple spots on the skin, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, black or bloody stools, and brown or red urine. If you have this condition, you should avoid any medications containing aspirin, which interferes with blood clotting. Talk with your doctor about other precautions you should take.